Edge Of The Unknown
by Phanstarlight
Summary: Sam noticed that Trubel was acting a little off with everyone, including him. But getting the time to ask her about it was easier said than done, especially with his demon brother on the loose. An extra scene for Missing Fire. Fourth installment of The Blood Of The Protectors series.


**It sure has been a while, hasn't it? Well, I'm trying to get back into the swing of things and I thought this fic would be a great way to do just that. While this fic can be read as a standalone, I would advise reading Missing Fire anyway. As always, I don't own any rights to Supernatural nor Grimm. Enjoy!**

Sam had first noticed it all while they were searching around town for Dean. He had turned up at Nick's door in the middle of the night and almost instantly passed out. And now he, Nick, and Trubel were out looking for any sign of his missing brother. He was rather surprised and still a little disorientated, to say the least. But even through all of this, he still picked up on Trubel's strange behaviour. Of course, she was shocked to see him and to find out that Dean was now a demon- Sam was still trying to wrap his head around that himself- but how she was acting seemed to stem from beyond just that. He wasn't quite sure what it was, but Trubel seemed shaken. She stayed close to Nick as if worried that he'd suddenly disappear when she wasn't looking. She constantly held onto the knight chess piece charm like that may disappear too and she seemed to struggle to make eye contact with anyone. And even though Sam hadn't really known her all that long, he knew that this was all very unlike her. So, he decided to confront her about it. But that was easier said than done. With everything going on around them, it became very difficult to find a moment alone together.

Eventually, he managed to catch her alone in the spice shop just as everyone else was leaving. Trubel was busying herself with organising a few fallen jars on the shelves as Sam approached her.

"What's wrong?" Sam asked, the concern clear in his voice. It was a little blunt but he knew that if he didn't ask her now, he may not get a chance to ask her at all.

"It's nothing" Trubel said defensively as she stood up a little straighter, placing a jar down on the counter between them.

"No, really. I know a lot is going on right now but if something is wrong, you know you can tell me right?" Sam smiled reassuringly at her. Trubel smiled weakly back and maintained her composure for a short while. But within a few seconds, she gave in and her body sagged forwards in defeat. Instinctively, Sam stepped around to the other side of the counter and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"I just... I don't want to be alone anymore" Trubel sighed and Sam paused in shocked silence.

"But you're not alone. Nick, Juliette, Rosalee, Monroe, even Dean and I; we're all here for you. Trubel, we're your family" Sam smiled, squeezing her arm gently. Trubel glanced up at him, tears forming in the corners of her eyes.

"But what if I have to leave one day?" Trubel asked, her voice wavering slightly. That was clearly a question she had been thinking about a lot recently.

"Even if you're thousands of miles away from them, they'll still be there for you" Sam reassured her. She gave a slight smile but Sam could tell she wasn't convinced. So, he gave her another gentle squeeze before placing his hands on Trubel's shoulders and turning her around to fully face him.

"You may not believe me, but I know from experience that family will always be family no matter what happens" Sam smiled when he saw the slight frown on Trubel's face.

"But you and Dean are so close..." Trubel spoke in a confused tone.

"We weren't always this way" Sam said, to Trubel's surprise.

"What do you mean? You two always have each other's backs; you're always there for one another" Trubel frowned as Sam's lips slowly curled into a sad smile. He looked at Trubel but his eyes were distant, as if he were somewhere else entirely.

"A long time ago, I left the hunting life behind me... and Dean along with it" Sam said in almost a whisper "I got out of it all and went to college. Top of my class, amazing friends, and the girl I was going to marry by my side"

"What happened?" Trubel asked, a little afraid of what the answer to her question would be.

"A lot of things that should never have happened. I was angry at Dean for so long; I blamed him for everything. But, in the end, I realised that I could never truly leave this life. And I had never wanted to leave my family, not really"

"At least your family stuck it out for you. I don't know anything about my blood family other than the fact that they abandoned me" Trubel felt the anger in her voice but she tried to push it back; she had let go of thoughts of her blood family long ago, she was tired of hating people she had never even known.

"A wise man once said to me that family doesn't end in blood, and he was right. The people who are there for you when everyone else turned you away or called you crazy. The people who will stand with you through thick and thin. The people who love you. They're your real family; they're the family you deserve to have" Sam spoke with a wistful smile on his lips, as though he were remembering something long lost and forgotten. Then suddenly, Sam felt a pair of arms wrap around his waist. He looked down to see Trubel hugging him, her head buried in his chest. He smiled and hugged her back, resting his chin on the top of her head. They stayed there for a while, neither quite wanting to let go. Eventually, Trubel lifted her head and stepped back.

"Thank you, Sam" she smiled and the tears lingering in her eyes didn't seem quite so sad anymore.

"You're always welcome" Sam nudged her arm gently. With nothing more than a silent glance between them, both hunter and Grimm left the spice shop and began walking down the road towards Nick's house. They'd need to rest and re-group if they were ever going to find Dean.


End file.
